The West Bengal government, under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee, is making significant strides in human capital development, which is enhancing the state’s IT sector and attracting major companies, including Infosys. Amit Mitra, Principal Chief Advisor to the Chief Minister, highlighted these developments during his address at the Rising Asia-BCC&I Summit.
Mitra emphasized that investment in human resources leads to substantial economic benefits, citing a multiplier effect. He noted that during Banerjee’s tenure, the state has established 52 new government colleges, 543 private colleges, and 19 state-supported universities. Additionally, there has been a significant increase in primary and secondary education institutions, with 905 new primary schools, 6,095 upper primary schools, 747 secondary schools, and 2,096 higher secondary schools being opened.
He mentioned that investments in human resources can yield a multiplier effect of 11. “In the United States, approximately 40% of economic growth is attributed to human capital,” he added.
On another note, Infosys recently launched its new development center in Kolkata. This state-of-the-art facility, spanning 320,000 square feet and built with an investment exceeding ₹426 crore, is designed to support over 4,000 employees working in a hybrid model.
Chief Minister Banerjee also spoke about the Bengal Silicon Valley Tech Hub, located in New Town. This innovative tech hub is expected to attract investments totaling around ₹27,000 crore, creating approximately 75,000 IT jobs. Currently, 28 companies are already operational in the area, with 40 additional firms having procured land. Among these companies, 11 are in the process of constructing data centers.
